NKorea preparing to restart nuclear reactor: official

North Korea has begun work to restart its nuclear reactor because the United States has failed to honour its part of an international disarmament deal, a Pyongyang official said Friday.

“We are making thorough preparations to restore (nuclear facilities),” said foreign ministry official Hyon Hak-Bong.

“You may say we have already started work to restore them to their original status,” he told reporters at the border truce village of Panmunjom before the start of talks between the two Koreas on energy aid.

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The talks went ahead despite the deadlock in the six-nation nuclear deal and uncertainty over the health of the communist state’s leader King Jong-Il.

Kim, 66, failed to appear at a September 9 anniversary parade. South Korean officials later said he underwent brain surgery following a stroke but is recovering well.

Hyon, chief delegate to the talks, rejected the reports about Kim’s health as malicious.